tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post929401138740953485..comments2024-03-16T00:21:43.240+00:00Comments on Separated by a Common Language: antsylynneguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-18106874991316458222007-01-19T00:00:00.000+00:002007-01-19T00:00:00.000+00:00Antsy has been in use in English for about a hundr...<I>Antsy</I> has been in use in English for about a hundred years longer than <I>Angst</I>. No etymological connection.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-67755688853369570972007-01-18T23:22:00.000+00:002007-01-18T23:22:00.000+00:00"Antsy" has no history / connection to "angst", is..."Antsy" has no history / connection to "angst", is that right?<br /><br />I can't believe it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-5808172928667085152007-01-10T18:55:00.000+00:002007-01-10T18:55:00.000+00:00You're absolutely right, Doug. Sometimes I get co...You're absolutely right, Doug. Sometimes I get confused by my virgules. Have corrected it.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-61175860180110029472007-01-10T17:17:00.000+00:002007-01-10T17:17:00.000+00:00In the versions of AmE that I am most familiar wit...In the versions of AmE that I am most familiar with, the idiomatic expression would be "knock on wood" rather than "knock wood".Doug Sundsethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01848091504066560951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-51968976510377006432007-01-10T14:37:00.000+00:002007-01-10T14:37:00.000+00:00How nice of you to mention me, Lynne. Do drop by f...How nice of you to mention me, Lynne. Do drop by for tea and BrE biscuits any time you're passing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-50323849905538887282007-01-10T01:53:00.000+00:002007-01-10T01:53:00.000+00:00I've always been sensitive about "antsy" because o...I've always been sensitive about "antsy" because of its unfortunate rhyme with my name. However, I do love the Yiddish "shpilkes"--nervous energy, pins and needles (it's derived from Polish szpilka, "pin"). To me it's always suggested "shvitz" (to sweat) and "spill" (all that energy spilling over). And the plural ending contains multitudes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-79211715599121948282007-01-09T12:09:00.000+00:002007-01-09T12:09:00.000+00:00Thanks, Straw. Am correcting it in the blog too.Thanks, Straw. Am correcting it in the blog too.lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-3468635354789441972007-01-09T11:00:00.000+00:002007-01-09T11:00:00.000+00:00I decided to follow the link to the evidence to th...I decided to follow the link to the <B>evidence to the contrary</B> suggesting that <B>antsy</B> may not be derived from <B>ants in one's pants</B> (not sure why I did this, as a Scrabble fiend of course I'm not interested in the meanings of words, and even less their derivations) but it didn't work: I think you missed the <B>h</B> in the <B>http://</B> bit. <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19960530">This</a> should work, I hope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-22110249928294007512007-01-09T10:25:00.000+00:002007-01-09T10:25:00.000+00:00Thanks, Mike. In my experience, all the Americans...Thanks, Mike. In my experience, all the Americans in Sussex are from Upstate NY or California. I wonder why?lynneguisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10171345732985610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28787909.post-2559407719269287652007-01-09T06:40:00.000+00:002007-01-09T06:40:00.000+00:00First, let me say I am a long time fan of your sit...First, let me say I am a long time fan of your site. It's a handy way to keep the US/UK terminologies straight; I've been here long enough now that I can become confused over whether I first heard a particular word here or back in Upstate NY.<br /><br />I, too, tend to use Antsy only when driving the A272 between Cowfold and Haywards Heath. There is a town called Bolney near Ansty and I always read the sign as 'Antsy and Baloney.' There are also signs to 'Wineham and Twineham,' which I find too twee for words. It is one of my favorite/favourite stretches of road.MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.com